How to create an eBook to market your business

An eBook is a great way to show your customers how you can help them. Just imagine: Your prospective client wonders how to solve a problem or obtain a product or service.  They find your eBook available by doing an online search and, presto – instant credibility.

Hubspot blogger Pamela Seiple recently posted a very helpful article entitled, “How to Write and Launch an eBook That Generates Leads.” Here is a synopsis of her “13 Tips for Writing & Launching an eBook:”

1. Brainstorm & Decide on Your Topic.
2. Come Up With a Table of Contents or Detailed Outline.
3. Create the Content.
4. Format the Design.
5. Incorporate Images, Screenshots, Charts/Graphs, Etc.
6. Add Links & CTAs to Additional Resources.
7. Add Social Sharing Links.
8. Give it a Name.
9. Edit, and Have Someone Else Proof, Too.
10. Create the Landing Page.
11. Promote With Email & Social Media.
12. Collect Your Leads & Measure Results.
13. Link to the Ebook in Other Content & Use in Evergreen Promotion.

I would add, early-on, to schedule each of these activities into your calendar with pop-up reminders. It’s so easy to be distracted by the day-to-day expediencies. But if you know that Wednesday and Thursday afternoons are for working on this project, chances are you’ll get it done. Another helpful idea might be to engage someone else to partner with you on the book or to at least check on your progress once in a while. We all perform better if we feel we are going to be accountable.

So, get started today with your initial planning; figure out when you want to see the finished project and begin putting one foot in front of the other.

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/17380/How-to-Write-and-Launch-an-Ebook-That-Generates-Leads.aspx#ixzz1Pv7AeZLA.

Just 5% more focus give you unprecedented, record-breaking performance

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Author and owner of Entelechy Training & Development Jim Madrid showed attendees at the Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA) conference how being just 5 percent more focused means Tiger Woods makes millions of dollars a year while another player with similar stats makes one-tenth of that. Madrid says he developed his training philosophy by watching mentors like John Nordstrom or Milt Kuolt of Thousand Trails and others in the early days.

The takeaway for me was that we can grow mental blocks about the way we do business. Madrid compares it to scotomas, or blind spots. He said, take Cliff Young as an example. "Sixty one year old Cliff Young became a household name in 1983 when he beat all of the starters and won the first Westfield Sydney to Melbourne Ultra Marathon," according to UltraLegends.com. Why? Because Cliff didn’t know he wasn’t able to run longer than 18 hours without a six-hour break to sleep. He was a shepherd who had learned to go long distances when his dog died and so he shuffled across most of Australia only resting on the side of the road when he grew tired and won the race by two days!

Madrid impressed me by positing that it is possible to live up to more than the typical 30 percent of one’s potential. The secret to getting more performance from yourself and your staff is to expect more. Others have called it “positive psychology,” he says. And he recommends the book Learned Optimism, by Dr. Martin Seligman. I, for one, intend to download it on my Nook tonight!

Dr. Mehmet Oz and social media

It seems that everywhere you look fans are discussing Mehmet Oz – the cardiac surgeon, author, and Emmy Award-winning host of The Dr. Oz Show. And for good reason: Oz provides health care advice Americans might not be getting elsewhere. 

Take his interview, today (April 18, 2011), with Dr. Thomas Perls, founder and director of the New England Centenarian Study, the largest study of centenarians and their families in the world. Perls created a formula to forecast who might live to be 100. The rules are:

1. Attitude (add five years if you’re excited about life; subtract five if you’re fearful of growing older)

2. Genetics (have a 90+ relative?)

3. Exercise (at least 30 minutes every day)

4. Maintaining interests (are you building your brain?)

5. Nutrition (poor habits remove years)

 Also, surprisingly, Perls says smoking even one cigarette a day takes 15 years off your life!

With a super-friendly ‘bedside’ manner and oodles of charm, Oz engages his studio and at-home audiences while they learn how to protect the health of themselves and their families. His web site and blog do the same. They are information-packed and his blog draws on the expertise of a weighty panel of experts.

So why isn’t the social media world overrun with references to him…’ozzified,’ if you will? While we found that YouTube has plenty of footage of the show, there’s barely a whisper out of Twitter according to a very ‘quick-and-dirty’ survey. And while almost 1.1 million people “like” his Facebook page, it is not a conversation; it’s a billboard. Again, our research has only scratched the surface, but we were surprised

Drechsler-Scott hired by World Resorts International

Prior to the ARDA Convention in Orlando last week, we were pleased to announce that our firm, Drechsler Communications, was retained by World Resorts International (WRI). (Drechsler Communications, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a sister company with Social Media Servicing and was established in 2006 by timeshare industry veteran Sharon Drechsler-Scott, who is a registered resort professional with the American Resort Development Association, ARDA.) World Resorts provides members-only access to private resorts and travel benefits. We'll be performing public relations services for them, such as broadcasting news about the company, writing articles about them and helping them broaden their market.
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“I think World Resorts’ ‘Sam’s Club’ approach – customers pay a membership fee to access an online gateway for deeply discounted accommodations and travel products|–|is what vacationers want today,” says Drechsler-Scott. “There are a number of clubs out there, but what makes World Resorts unique is its formal relationships with some pretty important players including the major exchange providers, and a customizable developer-partnership program. I’ll be looking for ways to explain how World Resorts offers consumers, as well as sales partners, a robust, reliable and affordable program they cannot find elsewhere.”

“We’re confident that with Sharon’s 20-plus years of experience in the vacation ownership – timeshare industry, she will be able to show prospective sales outlets and developer partners the benefits of working with World Resorts International. We’ve worked hard to deliver a fully-performing, powerful platform for their use and to provide them with a highly attractive compensation package,” stated Charles Thompson, WRI Chief Operating Officer. “At the same time, Sharon will be handling our business-to-consumer communications from a PR perspective as well. One of her first challenges on the B2C side will be to launch the WRI Member Newsletter, a blog and other initiatives to engage members and prospective members.”

Sharon Drechsler-Scott to speak at Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA) at the end of April, 2011

CRDA's "Resort Development Summit" Breaks Record!

In what can only be seen as a "good news story" for the shared ownership industry, The Canadian Resort Development Association (CRDA) announced today that sponsorship of CRDA's upcoming conference in Vancouver, BC has surpassed ALL of the Association's previous records.

I will be speaking about social media during this year's conference and sense that it will be a great meeting!

According to CRDA's President & CEO, Ross Perlmutter,: "We're both ecstatic and grateful to have been supported by so many good corporate citizens in our industry this year, and I truly believe that this bodes extremely well for the future. Like most other industry events, our Conference sponsorship was down substantially last year, however; this year we've bounced back and shattered our previous, all-time record by at least 10%. In fact, we're still receiving and processing several sponsorship and exhibit enquiries - it's unreal."

Perlmutter credits the increase in sponsorship to both an improvement in the overall health of the industry and a high level of interest in this year's Conference. "While the level our event's sponsorship commitments may (understandably) not mean that much to the average attendee, I definitely see it as 'the canary in the coal mine'. It tells me that our industry's premiere suppliers are once again active and engaged, and that they have a great deal of confidence in our industry's potential for prosperity in both the short and long term. I strongly believe that it's a very clear sign that we've turned the corner, and that we're all poised for a robust growth spurt in the months ahead."

"The good news is not just on the sponsorship side; we're also witnessing extremely strong interest in our Conference from attendees. This year, we've expanded the programming, we've increased out breakout sessions by 25% and our ever-growing roster of speakers is among the best we've ever offered. Our 'Early Bird' registration is far ahead of last year's pace, and by the time it closes this Friday (March 25th), I anticipate that we'll be at least 25% ahead of last year's level. Attendees are telling us that they love the choice of venue and location of this year's event - the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver, BC - and all of these factors have contributed to the popularity of (and increased demand for) our unique event. Again, it's all good news!"

 In addition to several information sessions, the conference will feature a dedicated exhibition area and two separate networking receptions. Registration for the conference is now open and, as a special bonus, all "early bird" registrations (received prior to March 25th) will be eligible to win a Carnival Cruise™ for two, valued at over $1,000. Complete details are now available by visiting the conference's dedicated website at www.crdaconference.com.

ARDA Convention beginning next week!

Attending the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) convention in Orlando beginning on March 28, 2011 means having the opportunity to choose from a huge number of educational sessions.

Held at the Orlando World Center Marriott from March 28 through 30, this gathering for the vacation ownership industry attracts more than 3,000 participants from more than 20 countries and offers attendees a myriad of educational, networking and social opportunities. This annual event is the largest timeshare, or vacation ownership, industry-oriented convention in the world.

While I am moderating a session on Social Media, myself, (“Social Media Best Practices” on Wednesday March 30, 2011 from 3:15pm – 4:30pm), I'm planning to attend some other promising ones, too. One of these will be  "The Best Business Technology Solutions - Learn from the Masters," on March 29, from 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. My client, Matt Brosious, will be joined by several other key IT executives to discuss the many choices available in technology today that enable those involved in the business to understand their customers’ work models more effectively and how to perform more profitably.

There are dozens of educational sessions being presented, plus networking events and parties. If you haven't registered yet, there's still time. Visit ARDA.org for more information. I hope to see you there!

ARDA's Breakfast of Champions -- a not-to-be-missed event!

The Thursday Breakfast of Champions is an important session. Perhaps it's not vital from a networking point of view, but for those of us in the business who wish to make our companies the very best they can be -- this session is vital.

Here is ARDA's write-up on “Life Lessons” -- the Thursday morning Breakfast of Champions event:

"Join timeshare industry professionals at the Breakfast of Champions and stay to hear keynote speaker, Lieutenant Colonel Greg Gadson, share his inspiring story of courage in the face of adversity and the importance of teamwork in overcoming life’s obstacles. Lt. Col. Gadson is uniquely qualified to share these life lessons, as he credits them to his very survival.

"Immediately following the Breakfast of Champions, WIN is sponsoring a panel of professionals, who will share their stories of how they have moved beyond diversity and become actively engaged in inclusion efforts in both their professional and personal lives.

"ARDA is offering both the Breakfast of Champions and the “Moving Beyond Diversity” discussion as an exclusive specially priced package for WIN members only. Without paying the overall ARDA Convention registration fee, WIN members may purchase this package for just $55.

"To register, complete this form and return with payment to Adrienne Riley via fax at (202) 289-8544."

WIN hosting wine-tasting event during ARDA Convention

Once again Women in the Industry (WIN) will host its annual wine-tasting event, "Shop to the Last Drop," during the ARDA Convention being held March 27-30, 2011. This year’s fete will take place in the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort on Tuesday, March 29, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. It's fun that’s for a good cause. During the event WIN will conduct the Next Time Around Boutique and a silent art auction. All proceeds from both events will go to support WIN's charities of choice: Girls, Inc.; Foundation for Foster Children and Christel House.

Women in the Industry (WIN) was formed several years ago as a grassroots, volunteer, non-profit organization providing leadership, mentoring, philanthropic and educational opportunities to women and those who support women in the vacation ownership industry. The American Resort Development Association (ARDA) recently took over its operation and has sent an invitation to all ARDA Convention attendees to join in for a fun evening of wine tasting, networking and shopping. Make no mistake: This is not just for ladies; gentlemen are welcome, too.

Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA was a strong advocate for bringing WIN in under the umbrella of the wider association. “WIN’s direction is clearly in alignment with ARDA, especially with our mutual commitment to embrace the diversity within our industry, develop leadership and contribute to charitable platforms,” he said. One of the first changes expected to take place under the reorganization is the institution of a new ARDA Philanthropy Council with WIN Co-President Cathy Backus as chair. Backus and WIN’s other co-president, Lani Kane-Hanan, provided leadership to help organize the first WIN wine tasting event for charity in 2008.

Photo: Cathy Backus (l.) with Social Media Servicing CEO Sharon Drechsler.

WIN is collecting new or gently used handbags, scarves, costume jewelry and accessories to be auctioned off during the event while attendees enjoy sampling various wines. To donate items, contact Pamela Gould at Pamela.gould@islandone.com; Ellen Devine at ellen.devine@bluegreencorp.com or Darla Zanini at dzanini@arda.org. ARDA attendees may bring items for donation with them to the convention, where they may left at the ARDA Staff Office. The office opens at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 27.

Exclusive interview with Marriott executive reveals glimpse of future for MVCI

Today, in an exclusive interview with Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI)’s Vice President-Public Relations Ed Kinney, I was told the company’s executive committee had been considering dividing its two primary businesses – its hotel management/franchise and the vacation ownership/timeshare models – as early as the third quarter of 2010.  Both entities, Marriott International and MVCI, will be publicly-traded companies.

As contributing editor for Resort Trades (www.ResortTrades.com), I will be reporting on what the leadership and direction of the new entity will look like. Kinney revealed to me some new information about the spin-off, including divulging that Bill Marriott’s daughter and oldest child, Deborah Marriott Harrison, will serve on its board of directors.

The company’s new name has yet to be determined, Kinney told me. But it will have the tag ‘Marriott’ on it – for sure. Kinney explained to me how the prior entity was like mixing apples and oranges for Wall Street rating agencies and investors. “It’s like going to buy a fleet of cars and finding you are getting motorcycles, too,” he quipped.

The idea of splitting into separate companies is not a new one for Marriott. Marriott Corporation split into Marriott International, Inc. to handle management and franchising; and Host Marriott Corporation for the real estate side in 1993.

Kinney revealed that Bill Shaw who recently announced his retirement as co-chairman of Marriott International will assume the position of chairman for the timeshare company. MVCI’s current president, Steve Weisz, like Shaw, has been with Marriott 37 years and will be promoted to the position of chief executive officer for the spin-off. John Geller will continue to serve as senior vice president and chief financial officer for the timeshare company. Kinney said that the executive leadership will remain in place.

Watch for details from this exclusive interview in my article, “Marriott’s vacation ownership to fly solo,” in the April edition of Resort Trades.

 

2011 news of the year in the timeshare world: Marriott Vacation Club International spin-off

When those of us doing business in the timeshare industry heard the news that Marriott International, Inc. is splitting off its Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), we were stunned. What will this mean for the industry? At an ARDA event more than ten years ago we had heard Bill Marriott claim that vacation ownership revenues were the company’s greatest source of income. Times have changed and the hoteliers are now disenchanted. One has to believe this is short-term thinking.

We believe that the timeshare/vacation ownership industry will rebound stronger than ever, in concert with the U.S. economy. In the industry’s 30-plus years, it has been proven time and again that the health of our business is cyclical. When it recovers, it will most certainly be a stronger and more resilient product. Perhaps the underlying real estate aspect to the U.S. version of timeshare may change; maybe not. But one thing is for sure: hotel rates will rebound and make vacationing at a hotel formidably expensive for the middle class family.

According to an article from Keith Trowbridge’s February 2011 newsletter (http://www.execq.com), one hotshot analyst claimed that timeshare has caused publicly traded companies to lose value with the rating companies. We remember when rating companies were only too eager to give timeshare paper plus-A ratings. And they will, again (probably after this analyst is making other ‘learned’ pronouncements about what a great low-risk investment it is).

Sure, after the announcement, Marriott stock was up by a few bucks. The short-term gains were probably not the corporation’s chief objective, though. No, this is a play to segregate debt by unloading it from their balance sheet.

Marriott says the timeshare club will continue using the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton brands in the timeshare business. According to the company’s public reports, MVCI’s 2010 revenue was approximately $1.5 billion, with 71 properties and more than 400,000 owners.

Other timeshare companies with far fewer owners have managed to carve new business from their existing customer base – one area in which MVCI could potentially increase its efforts. If they are to be taken at their word that MVCI may continue to utilize the Marriott and Ritz Carlton brands, then for our money, MVCI looks like a terrific investment at this time. Of course, I am definitely not in the business of giving investment advice!

Senior living in Arizona

I'm checking out senior living at PebbleCreek Resort in Goodyear, Arizona. So far, I'm 'a-seein' and I'm a-likin'.' This place has it all: sports of all kinds including 45 holes of golf, a theater, restaurants and lounges and an arts and crafts center to die for!

A group of seven of us go to Happy Hour at P.F. Chang’s. (During my stay with friends Carol and Don, I learn that today's senior views happy hour as the answer to what my folks used to call the Early Bird Special.) For $50.00 we gorge ourselves on fried, crispy green beans; lettuce wraps; pork and chicken dumplings; edamame potstickers and drinks. (I’m an instant fan of the barkeep after my Johnny Walker Black on the rocks arrives. It’s served in a small water glass and filled to the brim.)

One of our party, Connie, launches into a description about the many malaises and mishaps of her neighbors – standard dinner table conversation among seniors, one must suppose. It gives one pause, however, to consider playing 18 holes of golf one day, playing a hot and heavy game of bridge that night and falling down dead the next day. She becomes more animinated, providing gory in-depth descriptions and relishing their affect on her listeners. Her stories become so bizarre, with each one more gruesome than the next, our table is soon in hysterics. The tales were becoming almost surreal in their number and horrific detail, after all.

Earlier in day, we tour the models. The interiors and architecture of the homes in PebbleCreek are breathtakingly contemporary and refreshingly Arizonan (if that's a word). I'm collecting more than my share of design ideas as we wander through rooms painted in tans, mauves and ochres with desert-themed appointments.

A ride through the neighborhood reveals the occasional RV parked in front of a resident's abode, waiting to be filled with supplies (the CC&Rs allow you to park your RV in front for two or three days at the most). These people are living life to the fullest, I think. Where else on earth can you live like this for so little? We Americans are truly a privileged people. I guess if we’ve all got to go, a retirement community such as this is one of the best routes to an exit you could have. I think you just have to remember to keep the discussions of more somber events away from the supper table.

Sevilla serenade

The bus picks me up at 0730. It’s still dark. By dawn, we are given a “coffee break” on our way to Seville and I gratefully stumble off the bus.

“Café negro, por favor,” I request. The barista chuckles to her associate and I overhear the words ‘café negro.’  The two grin and glance in my direction.

“Como se dice en Espanol,” I inquire, “café sin leche?”

“Café solo.” Okay. I request a double solo.

Our guide, Anabelle, gives us 20 minutes, but when I return to the parking lot, there are ten buses all looking the same and with no familiar faces onboard. Earlier I had met a group of eight 20-somethings –each girl lovelier than the next – all visiting from New York. Fortunately, one of my New Yorkers sounds the alarm that I’ve been left behind and the bus returns. Anabelle chastises me; it’s a mistake I don’t intend to repeat!

When we reach the center of the ancient part of Sevilla, we are serenaded through narrow, medieval-sized passages by two guitarists. We are charmed. One of our New Yorkers – perhaps the very damsel who saved me from the bus terminal – is so taken with their music that she begins to dance along the passageway. The singers quickly take her queue and launch into a jaunty rendition of The Macarena. (This number has long been a favorite of dare-I-say thousands of men who have been left on the sidelines to watch their dates or spouses drunkenly bump into one another on the dance floor while attempting to execute its intricate set of moves.) No one bumps into anyone on this occasion, however, and this author shows her delight with ample tips for each gent.

We’re told there were two significant international events that occurred in Seville – one in 1929 and the other in 1992. Our first stop at the Plaza de Espana was from the earlier and recreates the magnificent renaissance and neoclassical architecture we’ll find throughout the tour. Built for the Iberoamerican Exhibition of 1929, we are awed within its semicircle. Later, we take a barge ride on the Guadalquivir past the site of the 1992 World Exposition with its monuments to Europe’s first space rocket and the first Spanish-built satellite.

But the most important events in the city probably started in 200 B.C.  when the city began to grow in the Jewish quarter through which we are now passing on our way to the Santa Metropolitana Y Patriarcal Iglesia Catedral De Sevilla (or, let’s just say, the Cathedra)l. The church’s bell tower, the Giralda, was converted from what had formerly been a Moslem minaret. At the top of its 97 meters is a giant bronze weathervane representing ‘Faith Victorious,’ with which the city fathers were apparently much enthralled. They had a duplicate made of the sculpture and planted in front of the church. We all stand and admire it, compliantly. But the real show is inside.

Seville’s Cathedral is the third largest in the world and has a super impressive collection of paintings, sculptures, friezes and stained glass, as well as both Gothic and Baroque ornamentation. In addition to ogling artistic creations from the Baroque to Renaissance eras, you can visit the remains of Christopher Columbus. Our guide is passionately and firmly, 100 percent, convinced that Seville’s Columbus remains are the genuine article. It seems that interlopers in the Dominican Republic are laying claim to a duplicate set and she’s not buying it. She has quite a bit to say about DNA testing to prove she’s right. But unfortunately, I miss most of it because she transitions from English into Spanish. Plus, the pace of Spanish speaking I’ve experienced here in Andalucia is turbo-charged. So I’ll just take her word for it that this is Chris’ final resting place.

On the road back, Anabelle shares with me that she is a little distracted because her husband lost his job on Friday. (That explains to me how I almost got left at the bus depot.) The couple lives in Granada where she says the unemployment rate is 30 percent. She thinks they may have better luck for him to find work in Malaga. I can understand how stress about survival can impose itself over every part of your mind.

I’m a little in awe of this young woman whose English, French, German and Spanish have all sounded so effortless. I figure someone of her talent must be married to a pretty accomplished guy. If they’re having troubles, what does that indicate for the region? We’ll explore what’s happening to the economy in Grenada and in all European tourist regions more in the future.

Shown above: One of two towers framing the 1929 Plaza de Espana like bookends.

Gibraltar meets "Night of the Living Dead"

The main thoroughfare into Her Majesty’s enclave is Winston Churchill Avenue, which cuts smack-dab through the middle of Gibraltar Airport’s runway. From The Rock – the southernmost point in Europe at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula, which sits above the entrance from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean – you can visualize the steady pounding and smoke of cannons as steel-hearted Redcoasts defend Gibraltar during The Great Siege.

Spain had sided with what was to become the United States during the American Revolution and tried to retake this tiny territory beginning in 1779, despite an earlier treaty to cede the space to Britain. We are told by Wikipedia, "This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782. It was the longest siege endured by the British Armed Forces, as well as being one of the longest continuous sieges in history."

Most of the people we see throughout the day appear to be tourists conducting a siege of their own. Carrying out their assaults on sites, shops and eateries along Main Street are principally British holiday-makers, joined in lesser numbers by German, French, Dutch and, oh yeah, American.

I meet Kathy and Jim from South Carolina who are vacationing here for their 45th wedding anniversary as we’re debussing at our first stop, St. Michael’s Cave. I overhear Kathy musing on last visiting a cave “somewhere in Virginia.”

“Do you mean Luray Caverns?” I suggest.

“Yes! That’s it!” Kathy is the bouncy, enthusiastic one of the pair.

“And what exactly are we supposed to be doing in here?” asks Jim impatiently, glancing about at the solidified drippings that have steadily worked for millions of years to form stalactites and stalagmites.

“Well, let’s agree that it’s very lovely, but we’re done here,” I reply. We all agree we need a coffee. We look unsuccessfully for an exit sign.

Here, according to Wikipedia again: “Officers looking for adventure during quiet times of service, would pass their time exploring the many passages within the cave system. Sometime before 1840, Colonel Mitchell accompanied by a second officer got lost in the caves and were never seen again. Their disappearance led to extensive explorations of the cave system in 1840, 1857 and 1865, but no evidence of the officers' whereabouts was found. Further exploration was carried out between 1936 and 1938, when a scientific expedition was mounted and every known part of the cave system was explored but again no human remains were found.”

Download now or watch on posterous

Gibraltar_manques.MOV (20404 KB)

We turn around and head back to exit from the entrance. “We’re probably the quickest tour they’ll have all day,” Jim remarks on the way out. We stop for a coffee in the tiny shop and then head outdoors for the bus.

The others in our party are watching our guide as he (illegally) feeds a large family of Barbary Macaques, the tailless golden-haired monkeys for which the Rock is famous. I quickly learn to stay away from trees, railings or the bus. The little critters are catapulting themselves from every elevated surface and landing on the heads of unsuspecting tourists. They seem particularly drawn to the soft tresses of a group of New York coeds who are no doubt traumatized for life by now.

Our tour guide fancies himself to be quite the entertainer. He intersperses his English-speaking monologue with a taped presentation for the four French visitors on the bus. Never have I wished to understand French more! While I catch phrases of the French CD version discussing topics such as “king,” “queen,” “Napoleon” and “The Battle of Trafalgar,” our tour guide launches into his trove of comedy material and describes how he drives through the narrow streets of “the Rock” five times daily. (Apparently, he is trying to beat some sort of personal speed record.) .  Breathlessly, he says that while ‘petro’ (95.5 pence) and food is less costly here than in England, a one-bedroom condo will run you 500K pounds. (Pause for gasps all-round.)

Armed with such vital information, we travel to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar from whence we can gaze longingly from the breathtaking height down to where tankers look like toy boats, hundreds of feet below. But, no. Sorry. No getting out of the bus for photos.

By 13:45, we are deposited at the base of the old section of town – a commercial area filled with duty-free jewelry, liquor, clothing and perfume vendors. I join Nel and Jost from Holland for lunch. They are anxious to sit in the sun. While they bake their already-pink faces in that for which the Costa del Sol is named, I ‘go California’ with sunglasses and a visor. Mine is the only visor I have ever seen in all of Europe thus far. (Of course, it is January, after all!)

What could be more British than fish and chips? They arrive crisped to absolute perfection. I wash them down with a beer.

Later, we stroll along Main Street until it’s time to catch the bus back. I look at the rest of the people on the streets. En masse, we are all marching like zombies from the film,” Night of the Living Dead.” Marching, marching, we pass the shops. We pass the fish and chips place. As if by some invisible force, we are drawn towards the bus depot. (Fortunately, there’s just enough time to buy a couple more mementos.)

Once on the bus, we drive east past Estepona, Marbella and finally arrive in Elviria in time for me to start my working day. (It’s just about 8:00 am on the U.S. West Coast, while it’s 16:00, or 4:00 pm here in Spain. It’s been a long day; but then, my day is really just beginning!

You can still be safe in Mexico; but heed a note of warning!

A few days ago I wrote an article about the safety of tourist spots in Mexico. Sadly, I must add a codicil to my last article about traveling to Mexico. While I spent all of last winter traveling through Baja California, Mazatlan, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and more and never heard of a negative incident, I’m afraid we must add Mazatlan to the Precautionary Area. A January 18, 2011 article in the Montreal Gazette (www.MontrealGazette.com) reports that a Canadian tourist was caught in the crossfire of gun-related violence after stepping out from a Mazatlan farmacia. According to our fellow-cruiser Tom who lives onboard his Catalina 470, they spent some time there earlier in the season and had no adverse experiences. He and his wife spent one week in the Old Harbor, though, and remarked they found it a little creepy.

“During our stay at Marina Mazatlan, Total Yacht Works was burglarized the night they received my boat parts, which were stolen in the break-in,” Tom comments.

“The point is Mazatlan is about to be hit hard by the economic loss of three different cruise lines discontinuing service to that port (Princess, Holland America and Disney). This means more lost jobs for the working Mexicans. According to the US State Department, the murder rate for the first quarter in Mazatlan,exceeded all the murders from the previous years and are mostly drug related.

“We will be returning to Mazatlan, but not staying in the Old Harbor (personal safety preference).

“To the rest of you, just pay attention and be safe... Mazatlan is a big City with Big City problems... I was a cop for thirty years and learned long ago, paying attention to your surroundings and listening to your little voice goes a long way.”

Also, Googling your destination in advance before you depart might be a good idea. We, in the sailing community, also signed onto a cruising chat group. In addition to discussing where to get extra parts and what restaurants were the best, these cruisers were quick to report any security issues, usually within the same day they occurred.

This writer will be cautious but not thwarted. My goal is to get back down to Cancun in April and perhaps to Baja California in the fall, but I will do a little homework, first. Plus, I'll take Tom's advice and behave just as I would if I were in Los Angeles or Washington, DC: In other words, stay out of the 'bad' sections, don't wave money around, be situationly aware and move with confidence that says "I'm not a victim." So, see you in Mexico this year!
A few days ago I wrote an article about the safety of tourist spots in Mexico. Sadly, I must add a codicil to my last article about traveling to Mexico. While I spent all of last winter traveling through Baja California, Mazatlan, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and more and never heard of a negative incident, I’m afraid we must add Mazatlan to the Precautionary Area. A January 18, 2011 article in the Montreal Gazette (www.MontrealGazette.com) reports that a Canadian tourist was caught in the crossfire of gun-related violence after stepping out from a Mazatlan farmacia. According to our fellow-cruiser Tom who lives onboard his Catalina 470, they spent some time there earlier in the season and had no adverse experiences. He and his wife spent one week in the Old Harbor, though, and remarked they found it a little creepy.

“During our stay at Marina Mazatlan, Total Yacht Works was burglarized the night they received my boat parts, which were stolen in the break-in,” Tom comments.

“The point is Mazatlan is about to be hit hard by the economic loss of three different cruise lines discontinuing service to that port (Princess, Holland America and Disney). This means more lost jobs for the working Mexicans. According to the US State Department, the murder rate for the first quarter in Mazatlan,exceeded all the murders from the previous years and are mostly drug related.

“We will be returning to Mazatlan, but not staying in the Old Harbor (personal safety preference).

“To the rest of you, just pay attention and be safe... Mazatlan is a big City with Big City problems... I was a cop for thirty years and learned long ago, paying attention to your surroundings and listening to your little voice goes a long way.”

Also, Googling your destination in advance before you depart might be a good idea. We, in the sailing community, also signed onto a cruising chat group. In addition to discussing where to get extra parts and what restaurants were the best, these cruisers were quick to report any security issues, usually within the same day they occurred.

This writer will be cautious but not thwarted. My goal is to get back down to Cancun in April and perhaps to Baja California in the fall, but I will do a little homework, first. Plus, I'll take Tom's advice and behave just as I would if I were in Los Angeles or Washington, DC: In other words, stay out of the 'bad' sections, don't wave money around, be situationly aware and move with confidence that says "I'm not a victim." So, see you in Mexico this year!

Mexican tourism

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]If you’re an American, you might be afraid to vacation in Mexico, right? Wrong! I spent all of last winter traveling through Baja California, Mazatlan, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and more. In my opinion, Mexico’s security in these tourist zones is unequalled anywhere else in the world.

My friends at Yucatan Holidays asked me to help get the word out that it’s safe to come to Mexico and you are more welcome than ever there. What better way is there to let everyone know than by using social media? So I would ask you to share this with your friends.

President Felipe Calderón says truthfully that the violence is confined to certain regions and is mostly among gang members. According to a USAToday report written by Chris Hawley, Calderon says the news media is actually exaggerating the violence. He admits there are problematic cities, but otherwise, murder rates are no higher than in many countries in Europe.

According to Hawley’s article printed in August of 2010, “…murders had been dropping steadily, from 16,163 in 1997 to 10,291 in 2007, even as Mexico's population grew. The murder rate sank from 17 to 10 per 100,000 people.”

So, what happened beginning in 2008? The murder rates rose, which coincided with a government crackdown on drug cartels. Calderón said the offensive was needed because the cartels had infiltrated local governments and were threatening to become more powerful than police. But while violence has been rising in those areas, you can travel confidently to any of the popular tourist destinations.

One thing I am sure of from personal experience, those of us in the sailing and cruising community never heard of any incidents occurring to anyone in our group throughout Mexican waters. Had any violence been committed against cruisers, it would most certainly have been reported in the very active chat groups and online news sources, such as ‘Lectronic Lattitude.

This writer is planning a trip to Cancun in April and hopes you’ll join me. Let’s support our wonderful neighbors to the south!

5 ideas for getting better organized

When I wear my travel writer’s hat, I have to be super organized. This time, I’ve headed for the hinterlands of Germany, to be followed by a two-week jaunt to Southern Spain and then, possibly, on to Dubai.

Before I head south, I’ve promised to cook my new friend, Celicia, an authentic, Afghan meal.(Even at this writing, the chicken kabob is marinating in yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice and about a thousand spices.)  In the meantime, I have clients back in the U.S. and Mexico whom I must serve just as though I were in their home town.

So, how do I do it all? After all, I have some pretty important personal goals, too, such as meeting great people, eating good food and relishing centuries-old art, music, cities and traditions.

Well, here is what I recommend in order to balance work/play/travel:

1.    Notes. I write everything down including notes about conversations, random thoughts and ideas or reminders to myself. I record the money I spend on a trip, if I have time. And, of course, I journal every day I can. I may not get back and reread everything, but the process of writing it down seems to record these thoughts in my brain.

2.    Plan. Make a schedule every Sunday or daily, if that’s your style. Ideally, I like to plan trips about a month in advance. (Lately, it’s been more like a few days, though!) Do some budgeting of your finances: what do you plan to spend each week or for the month? Later you can compare your plans with what actually happened. You might be surprised!

3.    Ask for help. Don’t let pride or greed stand in your way of asking for help or hiring someone to assist you. This goes along with making yourself available to help others, too. It’s called “building relationships.”

4.    Just say “no.” If you are properly planning and scheduling, then you’ll know when you are overly subscribed. If someone asks you to do something and you’re not sure if you have the time; tell them you’ve got to think about it first and you’ll get back to them. This one is big on my list, because I have a tendency to overcommit.

5.    Breathe in and out! This is what my mom used to say whenever one of us would whine about our problems. “Just breathe in and out." Remember that you are doing the very best you can and celebrate that. Allow yourself to...well, to reward yourself!

The chances that you are a workaholic in this society in the world, today, are strong. So while you’re working on your planning and scheduling, don’t forget to carve out some “me” time! Maybe you can’t do it all, but you should be enjoying whatever you do the most.

Facebook 'infographic' interesting; but what does it mean?

You should post your Facebook messages at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday (plus on alternating days during the week), talk about sex and avoid using the term "vs," according to research performed by social media maven Dan Zarella (DanZarella.com). These are interesting statistics, but I'm sure Dan would advise us that effective marketing using social media requires you to use this type of research thoughtfully. Further investigation might show that the majority of Facebook viewers who see your 8:00 a.m. (and is this U.S. Eastern Standard Time, by the way?) Saturday post might be a young crowd that lies outside your demographic market. Obviously, common marketing sense needs to prevail. If your market is to tweens, teens and young adults, then you'd be advised to trigger your Facebook posts for the 'top of the weekend.'  But if your market is a little more complex, then what?

ConnectedMarkets guru George Grant says, "Start by defining your audience. Who do you know that talks to that audience? Try to get to know as many people as possible in your audience, especially the movers and shakers who already talk with them. Get movers and shakers to spread your message. That may involve payment of some kind. Reciprocation, favor, cash, drugs, booze, hookers. Whatever works.

"Joke.

"Or - and this is probably the most effective path - craft a message so interesting, they'll find it hard not to spread."

We recommend a common sense approach when it comes to Facebook that we developed after studying another of Zarella's articles on "6 Facebook tips for social media."

The bottom line in our way of thinking is that posting to Facebook is only a small piece of your social media program. Social media is, in its purest essence, an extraction of a well-planned, comprehensive online marketing strategy. Gone are the days when a customer would find you by attending trades shows, reading magazines or journals, requesting that you mail them a brochure (heavens!) or asking their friends and business acquaintances.Today, your customer starts in Google by searching on relevant keywords and reviews each vendor's site. Naturally, those websites with the most interesting and complete information, often enhanced by relevant and engaging videos and blogs, are the ones that prompt a click or a call.

So we advise taking Zarella's information, or infographic, for what it's worth -- as an interesting factoid to consider. Your goal in posting to Facebook, Twitter, your Blog or any other site is to attract readers to your 'storefront,' namely, your website.So if you're posting on a Saturday at 8:00 a.m. New Zealand time or at midnight on Wednesday, hopefully your message will attract the right kind of attention from the right people...your prospective customer.

7 ideas for your next promo

Sending out a direct mail or email blast to promote your business? I recently came across these seven ideas to keep in mind when crafting your promotional copy:

1.    Start with your strongest point. For example, if you’re a manager hoping to promote rentals at your resort during the off-season, put yourself in your prospective guests’ shoes. What benefits are most likely to attract their attention? Price must surely be a factor, but perhaps there are other ways to distinguish your resort from the pack, such as on-site amenities or events in the community.

2.    Expand on your benefits. Since the first paragraph should be short, the second should clarify just what the guest will get.

3.    Be specific. If one of your benefits is the local dinner theater, include its name and Web site.

4.    Provide a testimonial. Including a positive comment or two from satisfied customers adds credibility. Let their words serve as your reference.

5.    Add urgency. Limit the offer and tell prospective visitors what they will lose if they don't act now. Once they put your letter down or click to the next Web site, they are less likely to respond.

6.    Summarize your entire offer. Repeat the benefits of why viewers of your offer should move now.

7.    Close with a call for action. What do you want your prospective customer to do? Fill out an online response? Send in the enclosed reply card? Call immediately? Fill in the order blank? What specific step should be taken?

And remember, the bottom line is clarity. Once you’ve finished drafting and polishing the copy, walk away from your desk for a break. When you return, reread what you’ve written as though you’re a prospective guest and this is the first time you’ve seen it. If your proposal is truly beneficial, this seven-step formula can help make it irresistible.